The regular time of the Fonbet Russian Cup Regions Path quarterfinal that was held in St. Petersburg, ended in a 1:1 draw. The White-Blues were able to be more accurate on penalties – 5:4.
Diego Laxalt, Nicholas Marichal and Fedor Smolov were not available in this match due to injuries. Aleksandr Kutitsky and Anton Shunin also missed the derby of two capitals. However, Arsen Zakharyan recovered from the fever and came to the starting eleven. Mathias Normann and Sergey Parshivlyuk became starters for the first time this year.
The Gazprom Arena stands were shocked at the beginning of the match. Dynamo players kicked off and organized a swift attack, which was finished by Nicolas Ngamaleu assisted by Saba Sazonov. The Cameroonian handled the ball well and fired from the 20-meter distance. The ball ricoheted off the post and then touched puzzled Aleksandr Vasyutin who was unable to control the situation. This goal became the earliest in the Russian history of the White-Blues!
The hosts found themselves soon and tested the crossbar by Gustavo Mantuan's effort. The Brazilian winger reacted to Igor Leshchuk's uncertain touch but was unlucky to finish. After that the White-Blues started defending well leaving Zenit attackers in the offside position.
From time to time the St. Petersburg side created threat from the set-pieces loading Dynamo box with crosses. One of such deliveries made by Douglas Santos led to a goal. Zelimkhan Bakayev won the position and headed the ball in – 1:1. By the half-time whistle Sazonov jumped over the goalkeeper and shot wide with his header. This moment closed the first part of the game.
After the break Luka Gagnidze came out in place of Zakharyan who had only two training sessions with the group this week. Zenit pushed the play to Dynamo penalty box and Leshchuk was forced to come in action twice.
Gradually, the Muscovites added in activity and pressing. Claudinho fouled on Konstantin Tyukavin inside the penalty area kicking Dynamo centre-forward's leg. The referee Yevgeny Kukulyak has been watching the replay on the VAR monitor for a long time but hesitated to punish the hosts with the penalty.
Slavisa Jokanovic fielded two new players – Denis Makarov and Vyacheslav Grlev. These changes could bring break in game. The visitors started to control the ball on the opposite half of the pitch and then pretended to grab a victory in regular time. On the 86th minute Makarov crossed to the box, where Grulev hit the post with the header.
In stoppage time the winner had not been determined and penalty shootout began. Daniil Fomin opened the series of 11-meter strikes, Vasyutin palmed Grulev's effort away but then Normann, Lesovoy, Gagnidze and Dasa didn't make any mistake by taking the penalty. Igor Leshchuk became the real hero of the shootout performance managing to save our team twice.
In the Regions Path semifinal Dynamo will face Akron, Krasnodar or Pari NN / Rostov.